The Facts

The following is a collaborative effort between Adam, Frankie and Judd. It is intended to fill in some of the questions friends and family may have about the details of Judd’s condition.

Judd is responding well to the early stages of chemotherapy and his doctors are pleased at the results. His white blood cell count has returned to normal levels, and his red blood cell count is surprisingly good. With time the side effects of chemotherapy will take their toll, but he is looking and feeling well.

Judd has been definitively diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia, or A.L.L., and all other possible diagnoses, from viral infection to immune system failure, have been ruled out. A.L.L. is more common in children than adults, and is more often than not successfully treated. It is a well-researched cancer for which many reliable treatments are available.

The catheter was successfully installed in Judd and it is being used to deliver two types of drugs to Judd's heart several times a day: chemotherapeutic drugs designed to destroy fast-dividing cancerous cells (and unfortunately many good ones as well) and a cocktail of enzymes and bonding agents meant to break down and carry away the toxic remnants of destroyed cancer cells. He is also taking an oral steroid that will increase cell regeneration rates. Tomorrow, an injection of chemotherapeutic drugs below Judd's spine is planned to protect his nervous system, at which time a sample of spinal fluid will be taken for testing.

Dosages are being administered at a very high potency level, a regime usually reserved for children whose recovery abilities are strong. The doctors elected to take this route in part because of the seriousness of Judd’s illness and in part because of Judd’s otherwise excellent health. With powerful drugs and toxins circulating in Judd's blood, his kidneys and liver are being monitored carefully, but toxicity levels are currently within acceptable limits.

The first round of Judd’s chemotherapy treatment will last one month, during which time Judd will remain in the Huntsman Cancer Institute hospital. The hospital is set up for and encourages companionship for patients during the course of treatment, and Judd will have his family and a few friends with him most or all of the time.

As news of Judd's illness was sudden for all of us, you may be interested to know some further background.

For several weeks before this previous Monday, Judd had been feeling tired and achy. He was experiencing swelling and hardening of his lymph nodes, though this was not necessarily painful. Judd suspected his symptoms might either be the result of something he picked up during his recent travels in Africa and the Caribbean or simply the remnants of a cold he had been fighting prior to arriving in the Pacific Northwest. He began seeking out medical assistance on Orcas Island, though not urgently.

As his symptoms worsened exponentially, a friend, herself a cancer survivor, took note and urged Judd to see a doctor. Several other island friends stepped up as well, one taking the initiative to make an ‘emergency’ medical appointment this past Monday. We are all grateful for their concern and gumption.

The doctor in Washington was unable to offer a definitive diagnosis, but offered various possibilities, including blood cancer. When cancer was mentioned, Judd's family decided to bring him to Salt Lake on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Judd's symptoms, including rash-like areas on his skin due to decreased levels of platelets in his blood, grew worse. He was very ill on the plane. When he arrived in Salt Lake, he opted for a night's rest at home.

His symptoms grew worse throughout the night, and by morning urgent care was needed. Judd’s mom drove him to the University of Utah Emergency Student Medical Center where he saw a doctor early on Wednesday morning. He was quickly referred to the Huntsman Cancer Institute where he received immediate
attention.

Judd's case was treated with grave concern from the outset. He continues to receive a high level of attention. Constant monitoring of his condition at the beginning of his stay made rest difficult, but this has improved. He has been getting more rest recently.

Judd is in good hands in a world class facility, surrounded by caring and capable professionals, friends and family. His ailment is understood and he is responding well to the initial stages of an aggressive and usually successful therapy.

We're grateful for many things: for perceptive friends, modern medicine, caring doctors and concerned nurses, love of family and friends, the blessings of heaven, your prayers and most of all for Judd Eccles Hardy.